Pretty In Pink and Green
by xSlytherclaWx
Summary: Andromeda is the only one who will leave this family... We're already starting to break from the inside – who knows what Bella does, then there's us questioning everything but saying nothing, then there's Sirius..." Narcissa-centric. Narcissa at Hogwarts
1. When You're A Black

_**Pretty In Pink (And Green)**_  
**Chapter One:**  
**When You're A Black**

* * *

"Cissy, you do have to promise me that you won't wind up like–" Bellatrix sneered "–that _blood traitor_."

I sighed. "Bella, you're being ridiculous. I won't wind up like her; you know how I hate Mudbloods. Meda–"

"Don't you _dare_ speak that name, Narcissa!"

"Fine, _she_ never hated Mudbloods. You recall as well as I that she always used to stand up for them in family debates."

"That is true, I suppose. Though that would mean that we have to watch out for _darling_ cousin Sirius, Cissy. And by _us_, of course, I mean you."

"Of course I'll watch out for him, Bella. By the time he gets home for Christmas, he'll be as Slytherin and you and I. He _is_ a Black, after all."

"But of course, Narcissa, but so was _she_."

I nodded to show my agreement with Bellatrix, but mostly I was just wondering why she was _here_. Term started tomorrow, and she must have wanted to tell me something dreadfully important.

"You turn sixteen before Christmas holidays, Cissy. Sixteen is a very _important_ age."

So that's what she wanted? I scoffed.

"No."

"Why not, Cissy? You always wanted power, glory… you can get it all now, through the Dark Lord!"

"Bellatrix," I said, turning away from my packing and facing her for the first time, standing up to my full 5'5" frame, "I want power, yes, of course. I'm a _Black_, all of us want something – power, money, fame, glory, jewels, _something_. However, I am _not _going to sell my soul to him. Yes, Bella," I sighed, cutting her off, "of course I agree with him. However, I don't want to risk my _life_ for agreeing with him. I want power, yes, but through a conduit – a wizard. I'll be the most powerful woman in the world – hidden meekly behind the most powerful wizard in the world."

"Hidden?" Bellatrix prompted, interested now.

"Well, technically. People will _see_ me, of course, though they'll assume that I'm just a trophy wife. They'll all assume that I'm pretty, rich, though a bit dim-witted. They won't see that I'm clever, calculating, manipulative, and _completely_ determined to get what I want."

For the first time in my memory, I saw something like respect shining in Bellatrix's eyes. "I had no idea that you were so… determined, Cissy. I won't ask you again to join the Dark Lord. Clearly," she said, rising, readying herself to take her leave, "you are still a Black, through and through, my _dearest_ sister. Your ways of getting what you want are just as devious as mine… albeit in different ways."

She sighed, pulling on her traveling cloak. "I bid you adieu, sister. I'll see you at Christmas, of course."

"Of course, Bella. It's been a pleasure having you here to keep me company whilst I pack." I was lying through my teeth; I wanted nothing more than to see my sister out the door. I wouldn't be able to breathe properly unless I did.

If she saw through my lie, she certainly made no show of it, as she left almost immediately afterward.

I sat down on my bed, holding my favourite throw pillow to my chest, absently playing with the tassels. I was thinking of ways that I could achieve my goal. I'd told no one of this goal of course – except my sisters.

Andromeda I'd told when I was thirteen, when the goal had entered my brain. I'd been in second year and Andromeda was already dating that – that blasted _Tonks_ who took her away from us. She'd told no one but Regulus and I one evening, while Bella had gone to a party with our parents, and Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion had taken Sirius to pick out his first racing broom (and presumably a day out to town). It had been Andromeda's job to watch us, and Regulus – who was sweet and thoughtful even then – had been worried that Sirius wasn't going to come back. Andromeda and I worked together to calm him, to no avail. She managed to pacify him with a secret. She was dating someone – a Hufflepuff – in secret. She didn't tell Regulus (or even me) that he was a Mudblood. None of us knew that until she had married him last year. Was it only a year? It felt like so long, and I really did miss my sister. I had a reputation to hold up, and had only cried about her in front of someone once – Regulus right after she'd left, we were both sobbing – and privately only twenty or so times. When I'd told Andromeda of my goal, she'd praised me. She told me that I was clever and pretty enough to do it flawlessly, and a Black, and we didn't lose. She was the catalyst for my goal. If it hadn't been for her, I might actually be considering Bella's offer right now.

Bellatrix. I hadn't wanted to tell her, for fear she'd insult me or try to manipulate me into thinking that her way was right, and so her acceptance was very shocking – and suspicious. Bella and I had never been particularly close – Bella wasn't close with anyone, except maybe the Dark Lord, and never had been. She honestly didn't miss Andromeda's presence at family gatherings and soirées. I did, though by now, thankfully, it had reduced to a dull ache whenever her name was mentioned.

"Cissa?"

I looked up to meet a pair of grey eyes. It could have been any one of my family – though the innocence clearly said that it had to be one of my younger cousins.

"Why are you crying?"

Belatedly, I noticed that tears had been rolling down my cheeks and my long, upturned nose and onto my pillow, staining it.

My first impulse was to lie. I would miss home. But then I blinked, looked at him, and realised that it was Regulus. I didn't need to hide anything from him, he'd never tell.

"I merely... miss Andromeda. That's all, Regulus."

"I miss her too," he said, sitting down on my settee. "I can't imagine what I'd do if Sirius were disowned."

I'd forgotten that he was ten years old. I always did, as he was my youngest cousin, and as such I always pictured him younger than he was. But at his age, I would sit at home and anxiously await any owls from my sisters, and hoping that I'd get my Hogwarts letter soon... it was always terrible and heartbreaking to see Meda and Bella off at King's Cross. I'd taken to trying to spend as much time away from them as possible, to lessen the pain.

_That must be how he must be feeling now. That's why he's not shadowing Sirius._

"He won't be," I said firmly. "Andromeda is the only one who will leave this family, Regulus. She has to be. We're already starting to break from the inside – who _knows_ what Bella does, then there's the two of us questioning everything but saying nothing, and then there's Sirius..." I broke off. Sirius had Bella's sheer talent, arrogance, and temper, but Andromeda's courage to stand up for his beliefs. If any of us were to break and bring down the once Noble House that was becoming less of a stone manor house and more of a house of exploding snap cards, it would be him, without a doubt. "No one will leave this family, Regulus. We'll remain as noble and strong as we've always been. There's always a few who get blown off of the tree every generation... we were just unfortunate enough to be close to the one of ours."

I think that he believed me, but he had mastered what Meda had nicknamed "Le Masque de Noir" - the mask of Black – so well that I couldn't read any of his emotions anymore.

"You're right," Regulus said, nodding. "Though I still miss her."

"As do I, my dear cousin," I sighed, meaning every word. I stood up and walked toward the door to my bedroom. "Now, shall we go downstairs and see what everyone else is doing?"

"Wait, Cissa, I wanted to talk to you. I wouldn't have come into your bedchamber otherwise."

That was true, so I sat down next to him. "What is it?"

"I'll miss the two of you," he said, suddenly hugging me tightly.

"I'll miss you, too, Regulus. I always do."

He released me. "Promise me you'll take care of Sirius?"

"I promise you that I'll do everything in my power."

It would turn out to be true, but at that point, my power wasn't nearly influential enough.

* * *

**A/N:** Title credits go to the Parselmouths. They always will for this fanfiction, as I've decided on using titles from Parselmouths songs and albums since they, for the most part, fit this fanfic. Also - I feel like I have to specify - there is NO Blackcest whatsoever. There's family, and then there's romance... but no one in the Black family falls for another Black. Just so that's clear. And this is also _not_ in the same universe as_ Disenchanted, In The Life of Skye Black, Forget and Not Slow Down, Lily's Guide to Life, Perfect Situation, Drowning Lessons, Ten Reasons To Hate Being a Teenager _and _Regina_, which, blimey, I just realised are all in the same universe. Wow. It's due time for a not-_Disenchanted_-verse fic, and here it is.


	2. The In Between

_**Pretty In Pink (And Green)**_  
**Chapter Two:**  
**The In Between**

* * *

"Narcissa! Narcissa, over here!"

I turned away from Bellatrix to see Angela Stafford, a friend of mine since first year. She came from a good Pure-blood family in Kent, and was my really only possible rival and therefore, my dearest friend.

"Hello, Angela!" I said warmly, kissing her cheek. "How was your summer?"

"Oh, Mother and Father decided to take Aurelia and I Paris and Rome," Angela drawled, bored as usual. "It was _dreadfully_ boring, of course. Aurelia decided to sneak off with some French wizard one night, without telling anyone. Mother was so worried that now she has to marry Felix Carey!" Angela pulled a face at his name. The Careys were a Pure-blood family as well, but they had reached their peak of influence back in the days before that _squib_ Anne Boleyn was Queen of Muggle England. Now they're about as well recommended as the Montagues, with the same level of unseemliness. Aurelia had to be furious.

"That's certainly more exciting than my summer," I said, kissing Bella and my parents goodbye, and beckoning for Krilly, our House-Elf to follow me with my trunk. I observed that Angela's House-Elf was doing the same. "I had Bella's wedding, of course, but you were there. Mother and Father took me to Hartfordshire, with my cousins. The peak of excitement was when Sirius told Kreacher to throw himself down the grand staircase, which is just _cruel_," I added. It was. I wasn't for treating House-Elves as equals, of course, and they _had_ to obey orders – and it was only right to punish them if they didn't – but _telling_ an Elf to throw itself down the stairs _was_ cruel. If Kreacher had died, Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion would be without a House-Elf, as we only had Krilly now, and we couldn't dare spare her.

"The grand staircase?" Angela repeated. "My, that's certainly a long fall. It didn't die, did it? I can't imagine if Mr. and Mrs. Orion Black were forced to be without a House-Elf. They might not get any more invitations!"

"I know!" I agreed.

"Here comes trouble," I heard Angela mutter under her breath.

I followed her gaze to find Lucius Malfoy, his Head Boy badge shining in the light. He was walking toward us.

"Hello, Miss Black, Miss Stafford."

"Hello, Mr. Malfoy," I said. "Pray tell, are you Head Boy this year?"

Lucius Malfoy smirked. "But of course, dear Miss Black."

"Narcissa, I'm going to go find us a compartment," Angela said, abandoning me. "Good day, Mr. Malfoy."

"Good day, Miss Stafford."

"Yes, I'll see you soon, Angela. Krilly!"

The Elf jumped. "Yes, Mistress Narcissa?" she squeaked.

"You are to follow Miss Stafford and deposit my luggage in her compartment. Then you are to return to Mother and Father."

"Yes, Mistress Narcissa," she squeaked, before trotting off to follow Angela and her Elf.

"I haven't seen you since your sister's wedding in June, Miss Black. May I inquire as to how your summer was?"

"Of course, Mr. Malfoy, though I'm afraid that any details that I might give you would be terribly dull."

"Oh? I'll have to regale you with my escapades this summer sometime soon, Miss Black. But for now, I'm afraid; I have to go meet the Head Girl and prefects. May I escort you to your compartment first?"

"No, thank you, Mr. Malfoy. I think that I can manage."

He nodded. "Ladies first, then," he said, helping me onto the Hogwarts Express. He bowed his head in farewell as we went in opposite directions. I spotted my cousin Sirius talking with a boy who had unsightly messy black hair.

"Sirius," I began, walking over to him. "Who, pray tell, is your companion?"

"_I'm_ James Potter," the boy said, puffing out his chest. He had wire-frame glasses as well. The Potter family, at least, was a respectable pure-blood family. They had no blood traitors and no Half-Bloods, even _if _half of them were in Gryffindor.

"Narcissa," I said, looking him over. "I'm Sirius's cousin. Sirius, you can join Angela Stafford and I, if you'd like."

"No, I'd rather make my own friends, Cissa."

I nodded. "Just make the_ right_ friends... your parents would never forgive me if you made friends with future Hufflepuffs."

Sirius nodded, and James Potter started laughing. "I'm not a future Hufflepuff, Miss Narcissa. I'm not a Hufflepuff at all!"

Taking this to mean (mistakenly) that this boy was aiming for Slytherin, I thought it safe to leave he and Sirius together when looked down the corridor to see Angela waving me over.

"Sirius, and Mr. Potter, I'm going to go sit with Angela Stafford. I'll be sure to save you a spot at the table tonight."

Sirius nodded, grinning. "I'll be fine, Cissa, don't worry about me."

"If you're positive," I began. "Just find me if you need me, all right?"

"Of course," he agreed.

I flashed him a relieved smile before heading down the corridor to meet Angela. Halfway there, a first-year with greasy black hair ran into me, pulling the redheaded girl he was dragging along down with him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," the girl apologised.

"It's fine," I said, helping myself up. "But next time, it won't be."

The girl looked at me with doe eyes, and the boy drew himself up to his full height. "Who are you to threaten her?!"

"I'm _Narcissa Black_, and from your attitude, I'm guessing you're either a blood traitor or a half-blood, _filthy_, either way."

"You're a Black?" he asked, his tone of voice changing from one of anger to one of awe.

"Of course I am! And you should know that messing with the Blacks gets you _nothing _but pain and misery for your troubles."

"Cissa! Are you scaring firsties again?"

I looked up from the greasy-haired boy to see Angela.

"This blasted blood-traitor-"

"I'm not a blood-traitor!" the boy yelled. "I'm a Prince! Eileen Prince is my mother!"

Angela looked at me, one eyebrow arched. "A Prince?"

"Yes," the boy seethed. "And who are you, a Malfoy?"

Angela laughed. "No, I'm a Stafford. Malfoys are tall, blonde, and pointy. Shouldn't you know that, _Prince_?"

"Sev, your last name isn't Prince," the girl said quietly.

Angela rolled her hazel eyes. "Look, I don't need this. Narcissa if you would _please_ stop wasting energy on terrifying firsties, we could get some business done."

"Yes, you're quite right," I agreed. I shot a glare at the boy before leaving.

"I think that I need to burn these clothes," I muttered, following Angela to our compartment, which was empty. I shut the door quietly, as to not attract attention. "That boy had hair that can't have been washed in months. And I'll bet anything that the girl was a Mudblood; did you _see_ the way she was staring in awe at _everything_? Absolutely infuriating. The filth they allow in this school."

"So why don't you go to Durmstrang?" Angela asked, smirking. She stretched her arms, yawned, and then spread herself across one of the plush benches.

"Father wouldn't let me." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms before sitting next to the window, looking outside to see London whirring by. "Besides, I'd have to learn German and Russian on _top_ of French and Greek."

"True, true," Angela said. I knew she was just letting me talk.

I inspected my dress and shrieked when I saw what looked like a stain.

"What is it, Narcissa?" Angela asked, not even getting up.

"That piece of _filth_ got a stain on my dress!" I breathed deeply for a few seconds, trying to calm myself. It didn't work, so I grabbed my Slytherin robes from my trunk. "Angela, I'm going to go change into my robes and set fire to this dress."

I wasn't jesting; I had every intention to set fire to this dress.

"Don't burn it," Angela said, and I could hear in her voice that she was probably rolling her eyes. "Just get your Elf here and get it to clean it extremely well. There's no point in burning a nice dress unless it gets Mudblood blood on it."

She was making a lot of sense. "Certainly, you're right; I don't know why I was overreacting so. I'll change and then call my Elf over here."

"There's the Narcissa we all know and envy," she said, grinning. "If you run into Mr. Malfoy, tell him and maybe he can get the bit of filth a detention for some reason."

I grinned. Lucius Malfoy certainly would do that for me. "That's brilliant, Angela!"

"Of course it's brilliant, I'm Angela Stafford."

I giggled before going to get changed. Perhaps this year wouldn't be that bad.

* * *

**A/N / Disclaimer:** I only own Angela Stafford and Krilly the House-Elf so far. And I don't have my HP books readily available for cross-referencing, so if Lucius wasn't Head Boy... well he is in this story. And the Potters are, at this point at least, a respectable Pure-blood family. Gryffindors are frowned upon in the House of Black, but still... a Black _did_ marry a Potter and didn't get burned off the family tree. And yes, everyone is their canon age here. Narcissa's quite a bit older than Sirius and Regulus, Andromeda's two years her senior, and Bellatrix is twenty-one at this point.


End file.
